Is Manuel going out like a G?
Posted by dirtysanchez on 9:35am, Friday November 27th 2009
The Mets have hired Terry Collins as their new Minor League Field Coordinator. According to people who know him, the guy is all business. According to Lennon (thanks Metsblog for the tip), Collins may be yet another replacement for Manuel. Now, the Mets have implied that if they get off to a slow start next year that Manuel will be out of a job. I’m sure Met fans will not be heart broken if he is gone but I would like to take the devils advocate’s approach to this situation, are the Mets giving Manuel the best situation to succeed? So far the Mets have brought in
Chip Hale- 392-305 record (.562 winning percentage) in six seasons as a minor league manager for Arizona.
Dave Jauss- Spent the last two years as the bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles. In 2006-2007, he held the same position with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent 10 years with the Boston Red Sox as a coach, scout and administrator
Terry Collins- Managed the Houston Astros from 1994-1996 and the Anaheim Angels from 1997-1999.
All three have been rumored to be a successor to Manuel, not to mention the lightly rumored Razor Shines to also be included on that list. It seems to me the Mets are setting themselves up for WHEN they get off to a slow start, rather than IF. Again, im sure nobody would be devastated if Manuel is let go but my problem with this is the potential for another “Willie-Gate”. I’m sure you remember the 2008 season (the one after the collapse) where the Mets switched their position on Willie job every other week, the “closed door meetings” and basically the media circus that distracted everyone from what was happening on field. I’m sure that this had to have an effect on the team as they were the ones most involved with the situation(remember the “locker room” divides) and I believe the Mets are setting themselves up for a sequel with a “Manuel-gate”.
If you really think about it, it is eerily similar yet different circumstances that in my opinion link 2008 and potentially 2010. Both seasons are proceeding seasons that were disasters (2007-collapse, 2009-19 Mets hit DL) that highlighted the weaknesses of the managers at the time. The difference however going into 2010 is that the Mets find themselves in what I would call a “political” problem. On one hand, Manuel made some horrible on field decisions and some spiteful decisions with some of the Mets players (Castro being pinch hit for by Santos in the bottom of the 9th against the Marlins closer). On the other hand, Manuel did not have much to work with in regard to the “replacements” that filled in for the Mets starters who went on the Disabled List so it would be hard to evaluate his managerial ability given his talent (even though for us Met fans, we had enough of a sample size to know what this guy brings to the table).
Manuel is surrounded by viable replacements, managing with NY pressure and a Met front office implying that a slow start would cost his job. I think 2010 is primed for “Willie-Gate” part II, titled simply “Manuel-Gate”. My main question to Met fans is, do you think Manuel is getting a fair shake at maintain his job next year?
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I think at least one of these guys has worked with Jerry before and that the Mets are giving Jerry every chance to do it his way.
Personally, while I think Jerry is a medicore manager at best, none of these guys is really a “manager-in-waiting.”
Collins’ record is basically the same as Jerry’s–good enough to lead pretty talented teams to a 2nd place, non-playoff finish.
I think that Hale has never managed in the majors, and I do not think the Mets will replace Jerry with a rookie manager after the Willie experience.
I think Jauss managed a year or two in the minors a long time ago.
The idea of Shines taking over is a joke.
I think that if and when Jerry gets canned, we see one of these guys as interim manager while they negotiate with Showalter, Bobby V, or a manager with serious experience.
I think all this talk about manuel loosing his job is just setting him up for failure.Look he’s not perfect but niether is any manager.Let’s stop sinking this guy and hope for a healthy team in 2010.If managment really is setting him up than that’s just really a sad excuse for throwing the blame at someone, its almost like the managment is setting itself up for failure ,typicale mets crap under the wilpons flawed ownership style.
Manuel is Far from perfect. Anyone watching games last year knows he can’t manage. Telli h your players they aren’t good enough and saying the stars will save the team when they come back is not inspiring. his in game mgmt is horible.
And nice shot of Curtis Jackson up there….he sounds great on the new Eminem CD…